JD McPherson presents A Christmas Album, SOCKS. Featuring 11 original tracks written by JD McPherson and his friends. SOCKS is an album of Holidays songs sure to be standards while you are decorating the tree. Come get warm by the fire with songs such as , “All The Gifts I Need” and “Every Single Christmas.” Or, burn the cookies to “SOCKS” and “Ugly Christmas Sweater.” There is something for everyone on this record to enjoy whether you are in the Christmas spirit or if you just wanna say, “Bah Humbug.”

JD McPherson's "Socks" arrives on November 2. The album includes all original music written by McPherson and friends and McPherson says fans will not be disappointed. "First and foremost,"he says, "it's a rock and roll record...and one that I believe at least a few people will listen to in the summertime." McPherson says that, when he's told people his next record is going to be a Christmas record, some would get a look of disappointment. But "Socks" is not a cash grab or a stop-gap. He says he considers "Socks" on par with any record he's ever done and he's very proud of it. "I think it's some of my very best lyrical work." McPherson also credits the band with performing so well that he and they "marveled" at the final result and none of them can stop listening to it.

"Socks" marks the first appearance of "Twinkle (Little Christmas Lights)" on any physical product (it is, however, not included on the digital download version of the album). "Socks" is currently available for pre-oder from New West Records in both CD and vinyl formats. The standard vinyl version, which will be available at retail outlets, is opaque Christmas Tree Green while New west also has an exclusive Red & Green marble vinyl version. You can also pick up some "Socks" greeting cards and, well, "Socks" socks. You can even build your own bundles. A tour in support of the record is also planned, with stops in Chicago, Toronto, New York, Memphis, Atlanta, Houston and lots of other cities. Get details at JD McPherson's web site.

I woke up this morning to a very strange sound. Silence. OMG, the rain stopped! It was a glorious 11 minutes. Then it started up again and hasn't stopped since. *sigh*

Anyway, just a few things to tell you about, with perhaps the most interesting bit coming at the end. But, first, some music. Here's the lead single from the new LeAnn Rimes Christmas-slash-Soundtrack album, "It's Christmas, Eve".

As we've mentioned, "It's Christmas, Eve" officially drops on October 12, but "The Gift of Your Love" is available now at online retailers, for all those who just can't wait until Christmas...or Columbus Day or whatever.

Also coming October 12 is a new Christmas album from Country star Tracy Lawrence. I was surprised to see the listing as Tracy's first Christmas set, 2007's "All Wrapped Up In Christmas", was released with great fanfare and anticipation and this one just kinda snuck out there. (Keep in mind that my late father was the Country fan in the family). "Frozen In Time" will be available on both CD and vinyl. Checking out the samples, I was experiencing a bit of deja vu. Finally, I realized that "Frozen In Time" is "All Wrapped Up In Christmas" with the tracks reshuffled and two new songs. One of the new songs is "Please Come Home For Christmas", which is fine and all. But the title track is a real Western Swing gem. As with the Rimes set, "Frozen In Time", the single, is available now. Have a listen.

Hey, Hey, the Monkees are releasing a Christmas album this year. No, I'm not talking about "The Monkees Christmas Album", which was really Davy Jones solo holiday effort with a bunch of odds and ends from the 70s and 80s tacked on (not that that wasn't a useful addition to the library), but I am talking about The Monkees. Seems 2016's "Good Times" was such a hit that the boys decided to follow it up with a Christmas album featuring newly recorded songs. The news was dropped by Mike Nesmith in an interview with the Boston Globe this week. Nesmith, currently touring with a reconstituted First National Band, expressed his reluctance but ultimately signed on to the project. He'll handle lead vocals on "The Christmas Song" and Claude Thornhill's sentimental if quirky "Snowfall" (a perfect choice for Mike). No word on the rest of the set from Mike Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork (Davy having passed away in 2012), but word has it that Fountains of Wayne guitarist Jody Porter will be in on the fun and there may be a new song or two written specifically for this project by Glenn Tillbrook of Squeeze. All just rumors at this point, though. An official official announcement and some more details are expected soon.

​"Good Times" really was a surprisingly good record. I mean really good...actually worthy of the best of the group in their heyday. So I've got my fingers crossed for another quality effort. We'll always have "Riu Chiu", of course.

Just to get it mentioned on the front page, here (some stuff gets lost in the sea of "TBAs" on The List), keyboard wizard Bob Malone will have a Christmas album later this year. Malone is a master of Blues and Rock. Bob burst onto the scene in the early 90s and, as a fan, I will tell you that he's one of those artists who seems to get better and better with each release. And that's why I'm not going to include the video for his 2004 holiday single "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch" in this piece. Because he's soooo much better than that, now. You can find it on YouTube, if you're interested. But just remember. Bob Malone. Christmas album. November. Look for it. It should be pretty awesome.

Helix, the Canadian Metal band, released "Heavy Mental Christmas" in 2015. It was a pretty fun headbanging romp through the Yuletide. But that album did not include the band's 2012 limited edition 7" single "All I Want For Christmas (Is The Leafs To Win The Cup)"--a classic of the sports holiday sub-genre. So, for 2018, Helix is issuing "A Helix Christmas". The new limited edition album includes everything from their 2015 album, plus "All I Want For Christmas", AND an entirely brand new cover of "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer", which Helix has given a Metal makeover. "A Helix Christmas" arrives October 5. The CD is limited to 500 copies and there will be both red and green vinyl versions (limited to 250 copies each). Pre-orders are being taken now at No Life Til Metal Records.

We have the track list for Arturo Sandoval's "Christmas At Notre Dame", coming October 5. Oddly, no cover art yet. Lately, we get the cover art and have to wait weeks for the track list. Well, even though it'll probably pop up as soon as I post this, I'm not waitin'. So here's the track list for this holiday Jazz set from trumpet master Sandoval.1. The Christmas Song2. I'll Be Home For Christmas3. Ave Maria4. Joy To The World5. O Come All Ye Faithful6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas7. All I Want For Christmas Is You8. Frosty The Snowman9. Fantasy on Fum Fum Fum10. O Holy Night11. Silent Night​12. Let It Snine

Now here's the one that most intrigues me. There's a distributor/label in the UK devoted to unsigned bands all around the globe, with a particular focus on Hard Rock and Metal. And Dr johns Surgery Records has it in their heads to do a Christmas album this year. So they put out a call to their friends and the friends of their friends (and, of course, to their own stable of artists) that they want to do this thing. Basically, "send us whatever you got". It's all still very much in flux, but their hope is to issue a double-CD (one record of originals and one of covers) and they're shooting for a release in November. It may or may not be a charity CD--details are all kinda sketchy as yet.

Now, given everything--the nature of the call, the short time window and all--it's likely that some of the tracks will be ones that the bands have previously recorded. And, to me, that's tremendous. We're talking about unsigned bands, so its likely that none of this stuff has ever seen any kind of physical release, and some may never have been issued in any format beyond, perhaps, a YouTube video. I can't tell you how many times I've come across a YouTube video with no corresponding download or release and grit my teeth in frustration. I'm a collector, dammit. And you can't collect YouTube videos.

Among the artists who have agreed to participate are guitar master Joe Feloni, Southern Rockers The Southern Raiders Band, Stillroom (see the 2014 video above), Strawkites (Art Rock/Ambient), and Four Skulls (Hard Rock/Metal). And then there's this little ditty from 2010 which is likely to be on the album and which deserves to be out there somewhere in physical form, from the genius mind of Dean Farnell ("Simon Cowell"), "Why Don't Christmas Go Away?". If we hear more about the Yuletide CD from Dr johns Surgery Records (like where and when to get it), we'll be sure to let you know. And....it sounds like....nope, it's still raining. Tomorrow is another day, I guess. Peace.

We'll play some Christmas songs in just a bit (including one from this album), but I had to shake the dust off my old perceptions of Mindi Abair because her sound has changed a lot since her days of recording with Dave Koz and Peter White. So, man, my expectations for her coming Christmas album were, to borrow a phrase from politics, no longer operable. Mindi's all grown up and she's got the blues!

​ 1. All I Got for Christmas Is the Blues* 2. I Can't Wait for Christmas* 3. Merry Christmas Baby 4. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 5. The Best Part of Christmas* 6. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree 7. The Christmas Song 8. Run Run Rudolph 9. Christmas Fool**Original song

Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers return with a powerhouse Blues Rock Holiday Album. Four original songs feature the hard driving, down and dirty "All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues". And 5 holiday classics including "Merry Christmas Baby" and "The Christmas Song" are reimagined with a gritty, raucous spirit.

Born in Florida to working musicians, Mindi Abair was playing sax by the time she was 5 (do I need to mention my macaroni art again?). She released her debut record in 2000 and first graced us with a holiday present in 2004, when she released "I Can't Wait For Christmas". And, Ok, that one was a tiny bit bluesy, but bluesy in a light Jazzy kinda way. See, Mindy was making her name as a Contemporary Jazz artist, a Smooth Jazz artist. So the music was breezy and her vocals were effervescent and airy. Great tune, by the way (it's what we'll close with) and I loved it instantly. But a totally different head from where she's at now.

In 2007, Mindi teamed up with Peter White and Rick Braun for the Smooth Jazz excursion "Peter White Christmas" (see what they did there?). Mindi reprised "I Can't Wait For Christmas" and contributed another original, "The Best Part of Christmas". A solid album, well executed, and very enjoyable. But still Smooth Jazz. And, in 2015, came "Peter White Christmas Live" (I have no memory of that one whatsoever). Mind you, Mindi has dabbled in other genres along the way and, as I've listened almost exclusively to Christmas music for the past ten years, I'm sure I missed lots. But still... where in the hell did this balls-to-the-wall, low down and dirty, nitty gritty, tough as nails Blues woman come from?

Well, as best as we can determine, Mindi's career shifted when she was the resident sax player on American Idol. Indeed, we may actually be able to pinpoint the exact moment...as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith said to a contestant, "Forget you, who's your sax player?"

Cutting a long story short, Mindi re-emerged in 2015 with a hard driving Blues Rock group, The Boneshakers. And, though she was twice nominated for the Grammy in her Contemporary Jazz days, she and the band won 8 Independent Blues Awards earlier this year alone, including Best New Artist, Best New Artist CD, and Artist of the Year.

​"All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues" is set for release on October 26. It includes four original tunes--the two Mindi recorded earlier in her career plus the title track and "Christmas Fool". There will also be a 7" vinyl single pairing "All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues" with "The Best Part of Christmas".

Hey, it's Blues. So, you know me, I'm all in. I don't need an additional incentive to pique my interest. But I truly can't wait to hear how Mindi Abair & The Boneshakers re-imagine Mindi's own earlier Christmas songs. Including this one.

If anybody ever tries to tell you that following your dreams is foolish, remember Jim Henson. That name is recognized in every corner of the globe, and Jim Henson got his fame and fortune...with puppets.

Jim Henson was a genius in a lot of ways but, unfortunately, the licensing of the music from assorted movies and television products has been spotty at best. Historically, most Muppet soundtracks have seen very brief release lives--generally less than two years and often less than that.

Take "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas". The animated 1977 holiday special has delighted kids of all ages for the last 40 years. It's been released time and time again on DVD, usually selling through quickly. But there has never been an official soundtrack album released for "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas". An unsanctioned soundtrack, pieced together by a fan, has circulated on the Internets for years and there was an officially licensed "tribute" record from Matt Surowiec released some years ago and re-released at least twice (selling out every time). And there's been an occasional cover version of a tune or two, usually included in some other Muppet related record. But no official soundtrack.

40th ANNIVERSARY DVD

A new listing at Amazon shows a coming Varese Sarabande release, scheduled for November 2, for "Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas". And one has to believe that this is the one we've been waiting for for 41 years. Varese Sarabande has made their name re-issuing long out of print soundtrack albums and issuing soundtrack albums that should have been and never were. That alone gives me confidence that this is the real deal. The Amazon listing credits Paul Williams as the artist. Paul, of course, wrote all the music for the special, winning an Emmy for his efforts. Beyond that, the Internets are as yet silent. But I really do believe this is it.

Songs from the special include:The Bathing Suit That Grandma Otter WoreThere Ain't No Hole In The WashtubWhen The River Meets The SeaBar-B-QueOur WorldBrothersRiverbottom Nightmare BandBrothers In Our World

And don't forget the "lost" song that was cut from the special but turned up on an anniversary DVD, "Born In A Trunk".

As I say, we'll have to wait a bit and see but, if this isn't the real deal (have to caution that this could be an original cast recording of the live action musical), there's going to be some mighty sad faces come Christmas morning. And I'd guess some children will be upset about it, too.

Also of note for you Muppets fans, Disney is releasing the soundtrack for "The Muppet Christmas Carol" on vinyl for the first time ever on September 21. That movie was released in 1992 and it's soundtrack last saw a CD release in 2012. Now let's listen to some more from "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas".

​We've gotten the rundown on Real Gone's Christmas selections for 2018. Other than the John Klein release, there aren't any purchase links as yet (and no cover art), but they've been added to The List. November 2 is the anticipated release date. With Real Gone, you know that the re-mastering will be the best and the liner notes will be impeccable. If you had your choice of anyone releasing this music, truly, you'd choose Real Gone. We'll revisit these releases when we get official cover art and track lists. But, for now, I'm just gonna copy and paste the titles and brief descriptions as they appear on The List.

Real Gone ran into some trouble getting the rights to the Jim Reeves album I was looking forward to, but they seem pretty confident that that'll be resolved in time for next year's crop. We've also heard that Real Gone will be issuing vinyl of Hanson's"Snowed In" (1997) and "Merry Merry Christmas" by New Kids On The Block (1989). We don't have any more details on that as yet. With Real Gone, you know special care will be taken to ensure that these are very special vinyl offerings. And, to the best of my recollection, I don't think that Hanson album has ever been on vinyl before.

In addition to Real Gone, Christmas music obsessives like myself always look forward to the annual holiday releases from Jasmine. The Jasmine CDs are traditionally double-CDs of vintage holiday fare featuring a hodgepodge of singles, album sides, loose tracks and a few things that don't seem to fit at all. Some of it is easy to find, some completely obscure (sometimes there are tracks that have never seen CD issue at all). A Jasmine Christmas CD is a bit of a treasure hunt, actually. Oh, and the collections always have weird, long titles. This year's 2-CD sets are "Radiant Beams On This Christmas Eve" and "The Last Mile Home For Christmas". Both titles drop September 14.

And the first nuggets of treasure I spy are the two singles from The Mills Brothers on "Radiant Beams", 1949's "My Christmas Song To You"/"On This Christmas Eve" and 1955's "You Don't Have To Be A Santa Claus"/"I Believe In Santa Claus". I believe those are the best sides The Mills Brothers ever recorded. And that's saying something.

Radiant Beams On This Christmas Eve is another spectacular collection of some of the greatest seasonal songs of all time! Generous helpings of Christmas melodies by some of the world's greatest artists including Roger Williams, Billy Vaughn, Gisele MacKenzie, The Mills Brothers, Nat King Cole, Charly Tabor and Teresa Brewer. Both the Andrews Sisters' and Bing Crosby's recordings of "Sleigh Ride" are featured, side by side for the first time, in one collection. Much, much more from Jo Stafford, The Page Cavanaugh Trio, Henry Mancini, The Song Spinners, Al Caiola, The Ames Brothers, Eydie Gorme, Harry Babbitt, Helen O'Connell, The Ink Spots, The Jack Halloran Singers, Roy Rogers and The Ray Charles Singers. This is a set to play over and over for years to come during this joyous season, and particularly on Christmas Eve!

THE LAST MILE HOME FOR CHRISTMASDisc: 11. Silver Bells Pat Boone2. Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)- Pat Boone3. Here Comes Santa Claus- Pat Boone & the Foley Sisters4. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear -Pat Boone5. White Christmas- Pat Boone6. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing- Pat Boone7. Jingle Bells- Pat Boone & the Foley Sisters8. Joy to the World- Pat Boone9. The Christmas Song- Henri Rene and His Orchestra10. The Angel and the Stranger- Lyn Cornell11. His Invisible Hand- the Four Lads12. The Eyes of God -The Four Lads13. Merry, Merry Christmas- Ruby Wright14. There's No Place Like Home at Christmas -Jan Garber and His Orchestra15. The Last Mile Home -Andrews Sisters & Dick Haymes16. A Dreamer's Holiday -Andrews Sisters17. Spring in December- Andrews Sisters18. A Child's First Christmas- Jan Peerce19. Christmas Is the Day Anita- Kerr Singers20. Snowfall- Geri Galian and His Caribbean Rhythm Boys21. Winter Wonderland- Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra22. White Christmas -Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra23. Here Comes Santa- Claus Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra24. I Want to Wish You a Merry Christmas- Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra25. The Spirit of Christmas -Kitty Kallen26. The Searching Wind -Tommy Dorsey & Victor Young and His Orchestra27. Blue Christmas- Billy Eckstine28. Christmas Eve- Billy Eckstine29. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?- Billy Eckstine

The Last Mile Home For Christmas is one of two 2018 spectacular sets: a balance of sacred and secular songs by leading artists of the 1940s, 50s and 60s that can be added to Jasmine's collection of great Christmas compilations. Here are large segments of tracks by Pat Boone, Fred Waring, Sammy Kaye, Billy Eckstine and The Andrews Sisters. Many recordings appearing on CD for the first time by such additional stars as the Anita Kerr Singers, Kitty Kallen, Tommy Dorsey, Kate Smith, Johnny Desmond, The Lennon Sisters and Keely Smith. Traditional hymns and carols are featured along with such titles as "Merry, Merry Christmas", "The Angel And The Stranger", "Snowfall", "Santa Mouse", "Spring In December", "A Child's First Christmas" and "Jingle Bells Mambo". One of the best of Christmas sets from Jasmine.

There's at least one more company in the vintage mix--Bear Family. Bear Family is known for their comprehensive box sets for assorted artists, but they've recently gotten into the Christmas music collection business. Actually, they've gotten into the holiday music collection business. We just featured their Halloween comp, "The Shadow Knows", and, jeez, I didn't even know they'd done an Easter collection (actually, that one looks pretty good, "Easter Bunny Hop"). Bear Family's previous Christmas collections are "Christmas On The Countryside" and "Big City Christmas". This year's collection is "Have Yourself A Swingin' Little Christmas". It debuts in the states on November 9 (European release date October 19).

Looking over the track list of "Have Yourself A Swingin' Little Christmas", I'm not seeing anything I need, though there are a couple of cuts on the rare side. I remember that Thelma Cooper song being a bear to track down, back in the day. More Mills Brothers. And Ralph Marterie's 1954 cover of "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus" is a nice inclusion, as well.

An exceptionally danceable compilation of Christmas songs from the fields of Jazz, Swing and vintage Rhythm & Blues.- Celebrate your nostalgic Christmas with 27 'Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Boogie, Jive and Easy Listening' rarities from 1935-1959.- These include the two rare songs from Louis Armstrong's 1953 comedic Decca single and the original version of Kay Starr's Waiting For The Man With The Bag, which became famous through the Brian Setzer Orchestra!Glenn Miller's big-band version of Jingle Bells as well as Mario Lanza's goose-bumps causing interpretation of Silent Night and the breathtaking Christmas classics of the Mills Brothers and Johnny Mercer, rousing danceable rhythms until the Christmas tree wiggles!Also included is a rare R&B title by Thelma Cooper, who is often confused with Dolly Cooper!A compilation that will not only delight the fans of Swing - it is so much more enjoyable to prepare a Christmas cake with this music playing, and dance lovers will always get their money's worth!After the two previous very successful releases with Christmas songs - 'Christmas On The Countryside' (BCD17508) and 'Big City Christmas' (BCD17509) - now follows the third part with extremely danceable grooves from the genres of Jazz, Swing and Rhythm & Blues, compiled by the Bear Family team. Our releases for the Christmas season obviously hit the nerve of our friends. The sets deliver intelligently compiled albums that offer themselves as an alternative to Xmas kitsch.The entertaining mix of some well-known songs and several new discoveries provides even die-hard Christmas haters and music collectors with enough material to celebrate an alternative Christmas full of pleasure.The 24-page accompanying booklet contains the essential information on the individual recordings. All titles have been carefully remastered. No more baking cookies - get up on the dance floor!1-CD with 24 pages booklet, 27 tracks, approx. 75 min.

Well, that's gonna do it for this installment of "Everything Old Is New Again". When we get the full deets on the Real Gone releases, we'll bring those right to you. Let's close with Ann Shelton from the original 78 (Bear Family's re-mastered version won't have the static, pops and clicks, I promise).

Rodney Crowell is one of those legendary musical figures. An Americana artist before there was such a thing, Rodney started his career as a songwriter. Jerry Reed was the first to recognize his talent, but it was Emmylou Harris who gave him the chance to play, asking him to join her band in 1975. Rodney put out his first solo record in 1978. Always a strong songwriter, Rodney's best known composition might be "Shame On The Moon", recorded by Bob Seger in 1982. 40 years after his debut album, Rodney Crowell is releasing his first ever Christmas album, "Christmas Everywhere", on November 2.

Crowell says the Christmases of his childhood weren't all that warm and fuzzy. Nothing tragic or dreadful, mind you. Just not a celebration you could count on, year in, year out. In more recent years, he'd soured on most things Christmas entirely.

“One rather warm December day in 2011", Crowell says, "I heard on satellite radio, Hayes Carll’s soulfully written ‘Grateful for Christmas’ and was so moved by the song – its wry humor and bare-bones honesty –that I ditched whichever errand or appointment I’d set out on in favor of an honest-to-God Christmas shopping spree. Not only did ‘Grateful for Christmas’ jolt me out of a self-indulgent funk it also tweaked my creative curiosity.” There was still no thought of a Christmas album, though.

Around Christmas 2016, Rodney came home to find his daughters playing a tune on the family's old upright piano. It sounded vaguely 19th century and he asked them what they were playing. "Something we just made up," they replied in unison. He grabbed his iPhone, hit record and asked them to play it again. Using their melody, virtually note for note, Rodney spent the next several months writing the words to "Come Christmas". "Come Christmas" may have taken some time and effort but, after that, the ideas and songs kept coming.

Crowell says the tone of the album is "mostly irreverent". The title track, for instance, was inspired by Spike Jones. About the only thing Rodney needed to complete the album was an opener to bring it all together. A reading of Clement Moore's "Twas The Night Before Christmas" being an annual staple of the Crowell family Christmas, he put together the short piece "Clement's Lament (We'll See You In The Mall)". The closing track, "All For Little Girls and Boys" was recorded in the eighties and features his oldest daughters, Hannah and Caitlin.

No "Santa Baby", "Silent Night" or even "Grateful For Christmas", here. "Christmas Everywhere" is all original. Guests on the record include Vince Gill, Lera Lynn, Mary Karr, and John Jorgenson. "Christmas Everywhere" officially releases November 2 and is available for pre-order now from New West Records. The album is available in CD and vinyl formats and there are 3 vinyl variations. The black & gray "coal" vinyl would seem to be the standard issue. A green and red marbled vinyl version is the New West exclusive. A red and white split vinyl version will be available exclusively at independent retailers.

Gotta be honest....had a hard time trying to come up with a title for this. Oh well, better luck next year. Anyway...

Sure, Christmas is coming. But, well before Christmas comes....Halloween. Bwaaahahaha! And you'd better be ready because Halloween isn't about a fat man in red bringing toys (well, there is Krampus, but let's not go there just now).

There are bound to be some Spooky singles as we get closer to All Hallows Eve, but let's get an early look at a few of the full lengths that might be worthy of your attention.

Every year, there seems to be one collection of forgotten slabs that tops our trick or treat list. This year's is "The Shadow Knows" from Bear Family. The album boasts 34 tracks, though four of those are radio trailers for horror movies (which I dig very much). Some of the tracks are fairly available--like "The Monster Hop" by ​Bert Convy and Jackie Morningstar's "Rockin' In The Graveyard". But several of the tracks are super rare. If you thought George Romero invented zombies, you'll swing and swoon to the Gene Kardos Orchestra's "Zombie" from 1934. More ghoulish fun can be had on rocking instrumentals by Lord Dent & His Invaders and the frighteningly fast and furious "Ghost Train" by The Swanks. Or how bout this long forgotten slice from The Poets. Aren't you just dying to hear it?

The scary thing about "The Shadow Knows" is that it's an import. And, as such, Amazon and other domestic vendors won't have it until November 9. So, if this is the droid you've been searching for, we'd recommend you purchase direct from Bear Family (European release date is September 21).

Back in 1964, "The Munsters" was a huge television hit. No fools, the executives at Decca Records pounced on the opportunity to turn green (as in Herman) to green (as in money). They rushed an unknown group known as The Go-Go's (no, not them...Belinda Carlisle was just 6 years old at the time) into the studio with some quickly slapped together tunes and unleashed "The Munsters" on an unsuspecting public. Note that the cover doesn't give The Go-Go's any billing (just mentioning that the record was "inspired by" television's oddest family). As you might suspect, the album wasn't a big hit. But, as time went by, it developed a cult following. Who doesn't love campy horror rock and roll, after all? Original copies go for big bucks, so Real Gone has swooped in to rescue us all. Never before re-issued in any format, they've re-mastered this monster, added rare photos and behind-the-scenes liner notes on the recording and, on September 7, they will free "The Munsters" from their laboratory for all to enjoy. What's more, it can be yours on CD or vinyl. Scary, isn't it? (Vinyl has been selling out fast, so don't sleep on that.)

After "A Charlie Brown Christmas" performed beyond everyone's expectations, the same executives who had predicted disaster now wanted more. The second Peanuts special was "The Charlie Brown All Stars". Gotta be honest, I don't even remember that one. But the third Peanuts special, airing in 1966, is generally considered by all to be the true masterpiece of all the Peanuts specials...from animation to music. Who among us can forget Snoopy's epic battle with the Red Baron? And, aside from "Good Grief", has there ever been a more memorable line than "I got a rock!"

As hard as it is to believe, there has never been an official soundtrack album for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". Why is that? At the time the special was made, Vince Guaraldi was involved in a law suit with his record label. Whether they were purposely or accidentally destroyed, no master tapes of any of the music from the show have ever been found (aside from "The Great Pumpkin Waltz").

A storybook record was issued in 1978, but that was essentially just the entire special on record, complete with dialog. A brief mono minute of the Pumpkin version of "Linus and Lucy" also turned up on the soundtrack for "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", for some reason.

Craft Recordings, a division of the highly respected Concord label, has played this one pretty close to the vest--which isn't encouraging, in and of itself. But, as bits and pieces of info have been gleaned, it would appear that the source material for this release is a production piece from the special itself--the mono cue stems. That means the tracks will be brief and will contain the sound effects (the latter is far from a deal breaker; sound effects on a Halloween record are usually a plus) but, theoretically, no dialog. The whole thing runs about 20 minutes. No extended Vince Guaraldi magic, but still...there has never been an official soundtrack for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in any format.

So what one feels about this CD, coming October 5, is largely in the ear of the beholder. Pick your Peanuts metaphor. Is this the Great Pumpkin finally come, or did you get a rock? Did Lucy pull the football away one more time, or maybe it's not such a bad little tree (it just needs a little love).

Concord's a solid label, so expect top-notch re-mastering. And "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" might be worth buying for the liner notes alone (from Peanuts historian Derrick Bang), as those will likely explain a lot. A vinyl version is planned, as well, though the release date for that is not certain (may not even be this year). I'll list the track lengths with the titles to give you a better idea of what this is and isn't.

But I wanna close with the new/upcoming release from Hugh Cornwell who, if you didn't know, was the vocalist for The Stranglers until he split from the band in 1990. His forthcoming album is "Monster". The CD and vinyl are slated to drop on October 5 and the album, as a whole, is unlikely to be the stuff Halloween mixtapes are made of. But the lead single, available now, is perfect for the occasion. The "A" side is the album's title track, "Monster", while the "B" side is "Pure Evel". If you want something new in the mix, this one's worth checking out.

No offense to anyone else (John Legend, Martina McBride, The Mavericks, Bill Shatner, etc.), but we have our first major MAJOR name artist coming out of the blue(s) with a Christmas present for the world. And the announcement comes complete with cover art and tracklist. So we've got that going for us...which is nice.

1. White Christmas2. Away In A Manger (Once In Royal David's City)3. For Love On Christmas Day4. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday5. Christmas Tears6. Home For The Holidays7. Jingle Bells8. Christmas In My Hometown9. It's Christmas10. Sentimental Moments11. Lonesome Christmas12. Silent Night13. Merry Christmas Baby14. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Eric Clapton is one of the finest guitar players the world has ever known and the only THREE TIME inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame (with the Yardbirds, Cream, and as a solo artist). He first hit the charts with the Yardbirds in 1963 ("For Your Love") and, now, 55 years later, he is bringing us his first ever holiday album.

Clapton's Christmas footprint is pretty light. Offhand, I can only think of "A Very Special Christmas Live" from 1999. He plays on several tracks on that set but is the featured performer only on Freddie King's "Christmas Tears", which he reprises here for "Happy Xmas". And he appears on the "Canned Heat Christmas Album" from 2007, playing "Christmas Blues" with John Popper. (There have been some pretty decent parodies, most notably "Santa"--to the tune of "Layla"--credited to Frohand and utterly unavailable anywhere...but thanks to my friend, mojochronic and the folks at DigiDesign, I have it on hard copy CD. I'd upload it to Soundcloud for you, but I think I'd run into some copyright issues.) Note: I earlier identified the credited artist as "Lowhand", not Frohand. My computer and CDs are currently in separate houses. So apologies for that.

In addition to "Christmas Tears", Clapton's Christmas album also includes covers of the Blues standards "Merry Christmas Baby", "Lonesome Christmas" and "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday". We get religious standards like "Silent Night" and "Away In A Manger" and secular standards like "White Christmas" and "Home For The Holidays". And we get the Clapton original "For Love On Christmas Day". I confess that, at first glance, the titles "It's Christmas" and "Sentimental Moments" aren't ringing any holiday bells for me. Clapton says that even the standards will have "a slight blues tinge", something he says he perfected playing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".

As one little xtra that will probably be of significance to some collectors, the cover art is by Eric Clapton, himself. All in all, "Happy Xmas" looks to be a Must Buy of the 2018 Christmas music season. Look for it on October 12.

Every once in a while, there's an intriguing topic that makes its way across the Internets. Of late, this "10 Perfect Albums" topic has been showing up in my Facebook feed. The game goes something like this: "Post 10 perfect albums over 10 days. These are the ones where you regularly listen to the entire thing in order all the way through. Post the cover, name of the artist and album if not shown, no need to explain why." At least one of my friends did include a Christmas album among their ten, which got me to thinking it might be fun to try and identify 10 "perfect" Christmas albums. What the heck, could be fun, right? Keep in mind that such lists are completely subjective (kinda the point, actually) and that it's hard to call anything truly "perfect". And it's especially challenging for me because I get bored easy; there are only a handful of albums (Christmas or otherwise) that I regularly listen to all the way through. Your purchase links (where available) are the album covers. Apologies if you've already read about some of these at 200 Days of Christmas or as part of Merry & Bright's"Der Bingle's Essentials" series. And feel free to offer your own choices in the comments.

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my choices for ten "perfect" Christmas albums (in one day, not 10).

This one has been turning up a lot this year and, well, it's about time. Possibly the most under appreciated Christmas album of all time. On "The Bells of Dublin", The Chieftans deliver a timeless collection of Christmas music both new and old, a festive feast that leaves you as completely satisfied as the best Christmas dinner you ever had. No straying into over cooked standards like "White Christmas" or "Santa Baby"--those just wouldn't be a fit for this Irish Folk group--The Chieftans stick to their signature sound and do it so well that even people who hate the genre can't help but be charmed and won over completely. The album is bursting with stellar performances from a plethora of top shelf guests--including Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, Nanci Griffith, Rickie Lee Jones, and, OMG, Burgess Meredith. Indeed, there is so much star power on this record that The Chieftans, themselves, are sometimes all but overlooked. That's why, as much as I enjoy such standards in the making as Browne's "The Rebel Jesus" and Costello's "St. Stephen's Day Murders", my favorite track is the opener...Paddy Moloney's "The Bells of Dublin/Christmas Eve" which sets the table perfectly for everything that follows.

I'm gonna get lazy on this one and just quote what I wrote in 2011:Mindy Gledhill's"Winter Moon" is one of the best contemporary pop Christmas albums I've heard in years. Mindy paced the album perfectly, the recording is impeccable. And Mindy's voice is just dreamy. Whether she's delivering a peppy pop tune like "Little Saint Nick", a religious standard like "Silent Night", or turning "The Christmas Song" into a uke driven song from the roaring 20s, Mindy Gledhill brings everything to her performance and leaves you wanting more of the same. The original, "Little Soldier", packs as much seasonal wallop as most any holiday song ever has. And she gets extra points from me for recording the first version of"Patapan" I have ever liked--and I not only liked her version, I loved it.Others have come and gone, but "Winter Moon" remains in heavy Christmas rotation at the Stubby household.

I've mentioned this 2000 album to fellow Christmas music collectors before as one of my all time favorites and I usually get that scrunched up "seriously?" face in response. Still, even if I'm the only person on earth who thinks so, I believe "Brand New Year" by SheDAISY is a perfect Christmas album. Top to bottom, front to back, I listen to it straight through every Christmas and it continues to sound fresh and never fails to bring a smile to my face. SheDAISY had a whole career as the Osborn Sisters, prior to becoming SheDAISY in 1999. I've never heard anything by the Osborn Sisters and, to the best of my recollection, I've never heard anything from SheDAISY other than their Christmas album. So its not like I'm some hopeless fanboy.

I get some of the issues, here. SheDAISY were, ostensibly, a Country group. But they were a Country group that wasn't really Country enough for lots of Country fans. And they were a little too Country to appeal to people who hate Country music completely. They were among the first Country groups to work with loops and samples, techniques that are quite prevalent in Country music today. They are definitely a mix of Country, Pop, and Rock (at least on "Brand New Year" they are), with even a touch of Radio Disney styled Bubblegum flavor included--especially on the title track (and maybe that's why I find them so fetching). And, yo, a bit of Hip-Hop, too; I kid you not. Listening to this album, I never wasted a second trying to figure out what their genre is; their sound is unique. And, of course, they have those beautiful harmonies that only natural sisters ever seem to have.

"Brand New Year" features the kind of balance and pacing other Christmas albums only ever dream of. There's a flow to the album that compels you to keep listening. They explore different sounds without ever sounding like they're trying to be something they're not. And the arrangements are superb. You know how I've said that the best Christmas songs are the ones that combine Joy with Longing? SheDAISY succeeds in putting the "longing" into "Jingle Bells", of all things. For that, alone, this should be on your Christmas playlist. But there's so much more...the rocking "Santa's Got A Brand New Bag", the spritely sparkling "Tinsel Town" (with it's wonderfully unexpected "Intro"), their original and funny perversion of the O'Henry tale "Twist of the Magi" (with Rascal Flatts), the reverence of "What Child Is This", wonderful covers of the seldom covered "Secret of Christmas" and "That's What I Want For Christmas", an amazing mashup of "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "Carol of the Bells", the sheer joy in lessons learned in the title track, and the pure a cappella beauty of the album closer.

SheDAISY hasn't released any new recordings since 2011 and, even though I never followed the group, that seems a shame. But, if they're out there somewhere, I just want them to know that I got it. I understood and appreciated exactly what you were trying to do on "Brand New Year". And you did it perfectly.

​My earliest introduction to Jazz and the first CD I ever bought or owned (purchased in the middle of summer, I might add). I actually went out of my way to try to find reasons to keep Vince Guaraldi's soundtrack for "A Charlie Brown Christmas" off of this list. Is it perfect, really, Stubby? I mean, you know, sure, the instrumental tracks are perfect, but I hate singing kids almost as much as I hate singing dogs. Well, that's not true; I actually prefer the singing dogs. But, on this album, it works. Perfectly. Nuff said.

When I decided to try my hand at this exercise, I made the deliberate choice not to consider compilations or multi-artist collections. There are just too many that could be considered "perfect" (or, at least, essential) to travel down that road. So no Phil Spector "A Christmas Gift For You" or 1987 "A Very Special Christmas" from me. For me, the best of those I refused to consider is 1968's "Soul Christmas" from Atco Records (so good that it's unofficial title among Christmas music collectors is "The Original Soul Christmas"). And, really, if the three "Santa's Funk & Soul Christmas Party" albums from Tramp Records aren't "perfect", maybe nothing is.

But, from the outset, I knew there'd be one exception to my own arbitrary rule. The UA "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" album from 1976. Unlike other "perfect" albums, "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" has never been re-issued in any format. One reason for that is it's just too short for modern consumers, clocking in at less than a half hour, all told. Even when a company can obtain the rights to all ten of these tracks, they feel the need to pad it out...add more. Sure, Geico's gonna tell you that more is always better. But imagine, for a moment, the perfect cake recipe. Then imagine that you think you can make a better batter by using 10 eggs instead of 2. Never mess with perfection. While "Rhythm & Blues Christmas" has never been re-issued, copies of the original vinyl should be cheap if you look. Better yet, none of the songs are difficult to find, so just reconstruct it for your own head. You can read a bit more about this great record in our long neglected Essentials section.

Manhattan Transfer were at the top of their game when they recorded "The Christmas Album" in 1992. It wasn't a huge hit, falling short of Billboard's Top 100 albums. And it's another record that, when I mention it to fellow Christmas music collectors, I get the scrunchy "seriously?" face (seriously, you've got seriously face). But, from the day I first put it on, from the first notes of "Snowfall", I knew this was going to be the beginning of a beautiful life-long love affair. I dig Jazz, I dig harmonies, and this album probably makes me feel more like Christmas than anything in my much too large collection. Alternately swinging and sentimental, The Manhattan Transfer do not hit a single wrong note (and I mean that metaphorically because, of course, their singing is perfect). Tony Bennett puts in an appearance, but they didn't really need him. I don't know why some others don't love "The Christmas Album" as much as I do; I just know I reach for it every year without even thinking and I play it straight through (usually more than once). 2005's "Acapella Christmas" missed the mark for me, but I don't know how I'd get through Christmas without "The Christmas Album".

Emmylou Harris was Americana before there was such a thing. She effortlessly blends Folk, Country, Pop, Bluegrass, and even Celtic without ever alienating anyone (I know some hardcore Bluegrass fans who won't listen to anything recorded after the sixties...but they make an exception for Emmylou). The thing about Emmylou is that voice, that irresistible voice. It's ethereal and transcendent without the reedy and breathy qualities that haunt some modern artists. Ethereal and transcendent, but with power; her voice rings as true as a bell. By the time the closing track, "Light of the Stable", ends, you're practically weeping from the sheer beauty of this album. It was true the first time you heard it and it's still true hundreds or thousands of plays later. The backing musicians and vocalists, here, are of the All-Star variety and the material is perfect. "Light of the Stable" was first released in 1979 and it was a revelation for it's time. Hell, it was a revelation for ALL time. You couldn't put together a more perfect album if you tried. And we know that because the label has expanded it and released it with different cover art over the years. But, for my money, they should just leave it alone because the original is perfect.

I shared this story over at The Fa (the forums at FaLaLaLaLa.com) in 2006. And I couldn't possibly tell it any better. So I hope you don't mind a copy and paste job. It's a long tale, but it's a good one.

​Sometime in the late 80s, I was at a used record store in Red Bank, New Jersey looking for Christmas music. Wasn't finding much (a few imports that I already had) when I looked to my right and saw this gem displayed on the wall. It called to me. It glowed brightly and the camera zoomed. Angels began singing heavenly music. My eyes got about ten feet wide (it was really a cartoon moment). I asked the store owner if it was for sale. Very busy, running here and there, he grumbled "everything's for sale." Didn't have a chance to ask him how much before he jetted off in another direction.

I took the record from its display and turned it over to see "1954/$80" scribbled on the back in pencil. Could this really be $80? The newer used records all had those little red price stickers I know we've all seen, but not this one. Could I afford $80? For a record?

I swallowed hard, decided I HAD to have it, put back a few other things I had been planning to get, and humbly walked up to the cash register (which, itself, looked antique). In my mind, the lady at the register looked as I'd imagined Mrs. Claus would look, with white hair and glasses and a smile that was just right (and, I'll add, my vision of Mrs. Claus is a slender woman).

Trembling, I shyly held out the record and said "I'm not sure how much this is. It only has this $80 written in pencil on the back. See?" She took it from me, turned it this way and that and said, "Well, that's his handwritting" (meaning her husband, the store owner). "Did you want it?"

I tried not to show my desperation to acquire this treasure. I'm sure I failed. "Yes! Er, I mean, $80 is an awful lot of money. But I think I have that much and (weak smile--close to a grimace actually)...yes." I was dripping sweat like Albert Brooks in Broadcast News.

"How bout $8," she said. I about fell over. "But...(almost whispering, looking at the store owner) can you do that, I mean, if it's worth $80...I mean, I'll pay...I mean, I'm willing..." She waved me off. "Oh, him. He thinks everything is priceless. I swear, if it were up to him, we'd never sell a single record. And then what would we do? Do you want it?" She was already ringing it up. "Oh, yes!" She'd already bagged my purchase and was handing it to me. "Merry Christmas," she said, with her Mrs. Claus smile.

As it turned out, they closed up shop within a year (planned) and I'm not sure how much that influenced Mrs. Claus. I don't care. I look forward to listening to this one every year, and there are few recordings I would say that about. I cannot imagine ever parting with it (even for $80...or $800). And it's not just a Christmas record, see, its a Christmas moment.

"Winter Sequence: A Seasonal Suite for Rhythmic Reindeer" was released as a 10" in 1954 and re-released as two 7" records in 1955. Mine's the 10". The pieces (one for each reindeer, sans Rudolph) were written by Leonard Feather and arranged by Ralph Burns. Feather wrote each piece to reflect the character of the specific reindeer ("Cupid" is a love song, "Vixen" is sultry and sexy, darkly mysterious, "Dancer" is...well...a dancer; you get the idea) and Burns arranged each piece to showcase the talents of the featured player. And what players they were. Kai Winding, Billy Bauer, Joe Wilder, Osie Johnson, a young Herbie Mann...... It's truly one of the most unique records in my collection. Aside from that opening bit of "Dasher", it's not really all that Christmassy, but that's part of what makes it unique. And I really do (still) look forward to listening to "Winter Sequence" every Christmas.

Now, it would be almost cruel to show this to you if you couldn't get it anywhere. But, a few years back, "Winter Sequence: A Seasonal Suite for Rhythmic Reindeer" was issued on CD as part of a twofer of Ralph Burns albums (both cover arts are linked to the Amazon listing for the twofer). To tell you the truth, I bought the CD but I missed the pops and clicks, so I listen to my CD-R of my vinyl copy when I listen. It may not be everybody's cup of Christmas tea but, to me, its perfect.

And there you have it.... Eight "Perfect" Christmas albums. Eight of the finest-- What? What's that you say? Ten? TEN? We promised 10? But those 8 are the only ones I listen to straight through every year. That's all I got. I'm not kidding. This isn't a bit. 8 "perfect" Christmas albums is all I could come up with. If I listed two more as perfect, that'd be lying. And then Santa wouldn't bring me anything for Christmas. Would you feel better if I said "Dark Side of the Moon"? No? Yeah, I could throw the Spector album on, I guess. I do listen to that "regularly". But that's no fun (and, honestly, I don't think its perfect)..

How 'bout this? Let me think about what the list above is missing and point you to some really, really awesome very good but not quite perfect Christmas records. K? The ultimate selection in each category (the ones that get the video) will be the ones I find myself reaching for the most for pure listening pleasure.

Hmm. Not any kind of Rock footprint above at all, is there?

Maybe I just have really high standards in Rock and Pop, but I can't think of any single artist Rock and Pop Christmas albums I listen to straight through every year. Not a one. I've got a Springsteen Christmas bootleg I listen to a lot, but that's about it.

For Classic Rock, I'm very fond of the latter day efforts of Jethro Tull and The Moody Blues. They ain't perfect, but they're damn good. For more modern stuff, regular readers know I'm crazy fond of Lorna and Kissing Party, but their Christmas albums were really collections of annual singles and not conceived as an album. Same goes for The Killers, obviously. We've reviewed a bunch of awesome Rock Christmas albums over the years, from Donnie Iris to Jigsaw Seen to Rough Shop to Carbon Leaf--all very highly recommended and darn close to perfect.

But I'd have to say my most favorite single artist Christmas Rock albums are "Under The Influence of Christmas" by The Grip Weeds from 2011 (see the above video) and Universal Honey's 2003 release "Can't Stop Thinking About Christmas" (currently OOP; see the video below). Now there's a couple of under the radar classics that, while a hair shy of perfect, deserve to be on this list and in your collection.

World Music is a big category that covers a lot of ground (literally and figuratively). I love my Christmas music from far away lands. I truly do. But would I count any of them as "perfect"? Probably not. The closest would likely be Lisa Ono's"Boas Festas", but I can only listen to so much Bossa Nova before losing my mind.

A lot of "Best of" Christmas lists include Jacob Miller's"Natty Christmas" and that certainly is the most brilliant single artist Reggae Christmas album ever made. Essential? Absolutely. Perfect? Not to me.

There's a lot of good Cajun Christmas music. I'm not as big a fan of Justin Wilson as a lot of people are. But I'd count Michael Doucet's"Christmas Bayou" as one of my all time faves. And, if you dig the Zydeco thing, it's hard to argue with the excellence of Rockin' Sidney's"Holiday Celebration" (just don't mess with his "Toot Toot").

Unfair as it is to the rest, Hawaiian music is included in the World Music category. And, when it comes to Hawaiian Christmas music, I count three albums as essential--just not quite perfect. Much as I love "Christmas Favorites" by the Brothers Cazimero, I place them third (mostly because I can't escape this feeling that they're really the Oak Ridge Boys on vacation). Second is Na Leo Pilimehana's"Christmas Gift". Again, harmonies. And, of the three, Na Leo most gives me those laid-back breezy Island feels. But tops on my Hawaiian Christmas album list is Willie K's"Willie Kalikimaka". Willie can do the breezy Island thing, too. But he can Rock out, as he does "perfectly" on "Little Drummer Boy/Ring Your Christmas Bells". He can Rock Steady, as he does on "Reggae Christmas". And, get this, his beautiful version of "O Holy Night" (sung in both English and Hawaiian) runs well over 6 minutes. 6 minutes of "O Holy Night"? I'm in heaven. The thing about "Willie Kalikimaka" is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The individual tracks are plenty good, but the album as a whole is about as close to perfect as you can get without actually being perfect. Yeah, if I was numbering my list and a little less picky about what I label "perfect", Willie K would be in at #9.

​As far as the old timers go, the popular favorites in the Stubby household are Tennessee Ernie Ford's"Sing We Now of Christmas", Jim Nabors'"Christmas Album", and Nat King Cole's"The Christmas Song". But that's about nostalgia, not perfection. I mean, honestly, it's not Christmas for me until I've heard Ernie sing (and talk) "Little Gray Donkey". But that's my problem, not yours. As for Bing Crosby, I like lots of his stuff but none of the albums. Now that I think of it, I should probably create my own Bing mix. Anyway. Just thought you'd like to know.

And, finally, you know how I love the Blues. I wish I could point you to a "perfect" single artist Blues Christmas record, I truly do. But, to begin with, not a lot of Blues artists cut an entire Christmas album. B.B. King's was a bit of a disappointment to me. Wish he'd done it earlier in his career. Etta James was very good, but not perfect. Johnny Adams'"Christmas In New Orleans" is mighty fine, but I'd have preferred more of it be like "Lonesome Christmas" (less like "Silver Bells").

Sharon Jones gets short shrift from me, here. First, because "It's A Holiday Soul Party" is more R&B than Blues. And, second, because it's too new. I don't want to apply the word "perfect" in this context to any album less than 5 years old. But I do thank God for all of the music Sharon gave us before she passed.

There's one single artist Blues Christmas album out there I've never been able to get my hands on. I have high hopes, if it's ever available again. And, if I ever get it, I'll let you know whether or not it makes the "perfect" grade. I promise. (But no spoilers).

As I did with World Music, let me give you 3 real good Blues Christmas albums that, if you haven't heard them, are well worth your time and your dime. In third place, Cass Eager & The Mo' Debley's 2009 release "Santa's Got Soul". Cass is an Australian artist and "Santa's Got Soul" was one of those "this is my annual Import purchase" buys I mentioned a while back. Full disclosure, Amazon's only got it on CD-R and there's nothing on YouTube, really; want to check it out, you'll have to do Spotify. If you like your Blues female and funky, Cass is your woman. She absolutely KILLS"Santa Claus Is Back In Town" (the good kind of "kills"), covers Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland, Clarence Carter and the Staple Singers, and tops it all off with her own fabulous original Blues tune, "365 Days". Why third place? "Santa Baby". True, it's a bluesier "Santa Baby" than you're used to hearing. But still. "Santa Baby".

Coming in at number two on our special Christmas countdown....Canadian Matt Andersen. I feel like I've let Matt down. "Spirit of Christmas" is a powerful and powerfully good album. It strikes just the right balance on almost everything and covers the musical waterfront with styles ranging from Bluegrass to Blues to Rock to Gospel. There are uncommon covers of "Little Toy Trains" (Roger Miller) and "The Lonely Shepherd" (Curtis Whiteley), an "O Holy Night" so wonderful that I'd wager even Jesus has it on his iPhone, and four self-penned originals. And yet...I never got around to doing a proper review, "The Spirit of Christmas" finished second on my 2010 list of favorites to an EP (an EP? Oh, the indignity), and now he's in the runner-up spot on my "closest to perfect" Blues selection. Why second? "Blue Christmas". Yeah, he does it good. I'm still not having it.

So Kenny Neal takes the top spot with "I'll Be Home For Christmas" from 2006 (the cover art, here, is from the 2015 Cleopatra reissue). The album has that down home Louisiana flavor. There are no real surprises (unless you count the vocals of Kenny's daughter, Syreeta Neal; pretty much the whole Neal family pitched in on this one). And there's a nice balance of traditional tunes and modern Blues covers (two versions of "Merry Christmas Baby"). Beaucoup bonus points for having neither "Santa Baby" nor "Blue Christmas". But the thing is Kenny Neal can flat out play. Is "I'll Be Home For Christmas" perfect? No. I'll tell you what it is, though. It's American, dammit! Who are all these Australians and Canadians thinking they can be top Blues dog? The Blues is ours and don't you forget it! I'm just kidding. Mostly.

Don't forget to add your perfect Christmas albums in the comments, if you feel so inclined. Let's close this mother out with Kenny Neal's cover of "Christmas Comes Once A Year".

1. The Bells of Christmas
2. Up On The Housetop/Ode To Joy
3. Ave Maria
4. The First Noel
5. Waltz of the Flowers
6. Silent Night
7. Jingle Bells
8. Canon in D/Deck The Halls
9. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
10. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
11. Angels We Have Heard On High
12. The Gift of Peace
​13. Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Grammy winnerLaura Sullivanis known for her piano-centric music which is marketed under the New Age rubric of"Healing Music"and"Music for Meditation". Personally, I like New Age music well enough--George Winston's "December" is an annual favorite--but there are only a couple of albums I've ever found where the music, by itself, brought me an inner peace and one of those was a Nine Inch Nails record. So I stick to phrases like New Age, Ambient, and Classical Crossover and try to avoid words like "healing". Of course, if that works for you, healing wise, then mazel tov.

Laura was born in San Francisco and began playing piano at age 4. Her mother wrote children's books. Laura completed her graduate studies in New York and issued her first album,"Piano Solos", in 2003. You've probably heard her music without realizing it in numerous films, TV shows and commercials. It was her 2013 release"Love's River" (produced by Windham Hill'sWill Ackerman) that netted her a Grammy.

There's no question thatLaura Sullivan'supcoming Christmas release,"A Magical Christmas", features beautiful cover art. Still, I might have passed it by because words like "healing" and "meditation" are a bit of a turn-off for me. But, as it happened, I've been binge watching"Kyle XY"of late. "Kyle XY"was a show on ABC Family about a decade ago centered around, well, let's say a test tube baby who was "born" at the age of 16--a completely empty vessel at first whose mind allowed him to do incredible things. The show is filled with bad people who want to either kill Kyle or use him for their own nefarious purposes. But the heart of the show, whether intended or not, is the relationship between Kyle (Matt Dallas) and his next door neighbor Amanda (Kirsten Prout). Through the whole series, you find yourself not so much concerned about what Madacorp or Latnok will do to Kyle; you just want the boy to get the girl (Amanda that is, not Jessi). The people who created the show actually didn't want Kyle to end up with Amanda (they figured Kyle to be a superhero destined to "walk alone" and that the thing with Amanda was just puppy love he'd outgrow in season 4), which tells me that they really didn't understand their own show and almost makes me glad it was cancelled after season 3 (almost). What does that have to do with anything? Well, Kyle's first exposure to Amanda is also the first time he hears music. It's one of the most memorable scenes in the entire series.

Stalker much? At that point in the series, Kyle couldn't even speak and was presumed to be autistic. He got better fairly quickly and, before you knew it, he was shouting "Yo, juice me" at the breakfast table. Anyway, piano-centric Christmas music suddenly had a draw for me. And, when I saw that"A Magical Christmas"included a mashup of Pachelbel's "Canon In D"(the tune Amanda is playing in the clip above) and"Deck The Halls", I couldn't resist. Laura does not disappoint.

As you can hear in that song,"A Magical Christmas"is lightly sweetened with other acoustic instrumentation, but the primary focus is the piano ofLaura Sullivan.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what connects you to the music so long as something does. If you find"A Magical Christmas"to be healing or peaceful and meditative, then good for you. For myself, I can't help but think of this as the sound Amanda might have grown into. Either way, you can preview the entire album atBandcampand pre-oder the October 2 release in CD or vinyl formats viaAmazon.

About us

I love Christmas, music, and cats. What more do you need to know?Anyone wishing to contact Stubby's for any reason may do so by emailing:​stubbyschristmas@gmail.com.Readers should assume that any item reviewed on this site has been provided by the artist or label in exchange for promotional consideration, whether or not that is actually the case. If you are the copyright holder for any song or image appearing here and wish that item to be removed, please let me know via email and I will remove it forthwith. My intentions are to inform and interest people in your work, so that they might purchase it; not to provide anyone a way to avoid doing so.